Ethiopia
Film Locations. Afro-Alpine highlands, Dankalia desert, Great Rift Valley, white-water rivers, Blue Nile waterfalls, savannah game parks, mountains, jungle, lakes. Walled city of Harar. Lalibela rock hewn churches, castles, archeological sites dating back millions of years. Urban slums.
Addis Ababa is the capital city and most likely place to base your production.
Permits. Most locations are possible given time, money and the right approach. Most permits take a minimum of two weeks to process, assuming you have an authorized a local fixer. Fees vary depending on the official you are dealing with.
Please click here to see film permit application information for shooting in Ethiopia.
When to shoot? Tropical climate. Temperatures depend on the altitude. The lowlands in the north east and south east are generally hot and humid. The highlands have lower temperatures. The dry season runs from October to May. The rainy season runs from April to September.
For monthly weather statistics please see here.
Please contact us for more specific weather and sun path information.
Costs. Locations, local talent and support crew are inexpensive but since little to no filming infrastructure exists all key crew and equipment must be brought in from abroad.
Talent is non-union and buyouts are negotiable.
Ethiopia offers mainly North African looking talent. All other talent needs to be brought in from abroad.
Ethiopia has no local pool of directors, directors of photography and stills photographers. Its close proximity to Dubai and major European production centres allows easy access to those pools of creative talent should you ever need to look further.
Please contact us for recommended directors, DoP's and photographers for your project.
Crews are non-union. Key crew must be brought in from abroad.
Fringes and Premiums. No hidden extras. No fixed premiums apply. We package deals for local crew / talent.
Equipment. Only the most basic equipment is available locally. You will need to bring in most standard equipment from abroad.
Art department and set construction is very basic.
Studios and backlots. None exist at present.
Tax Incentives. At present there are no tax incentives for foreign
commercials or films shooting in Ethiopia.
Film Stock. Must bring from abroad.
Post Production. No labs exist locally. We post abroad.
Visas and Work Permits. Entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. Contact your local Ethiopian embassy or representative for more information.
Transportation Infrastructure is quite basic. Most roads are unsealed and damaged. Several international airlines service flights to Ethiopia.
Accommodation. See here for options in Addis Ababa:
Addis Regency Hotel
Sheraton Addis
Please contact us for corporate rates.
For longer stays we can also organize serviced apartments.
Communication. Web posted scouting, casting and videoconferencing.
Safety. Ethiopia is at present a very dangerous place for foreigners to visit. If you must shoot in Ethiopia appropriate personal security measures are recommended.
Projects. For an example of TV commercials, online advertising, corporate videos, stills campaigns, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Ethiopia, please see below:
Our production service companies, line producers and fixers have serviced TV commercials, online advertising, corporate videos, stills campaigns, feature films, TV series and documentaries for:
AXA Belgium, BBC UK, Canon Singapore, Coca Cola Indonesia, Concord Canada, Dove Malaysia, Deutche Bank Germany, Dressman Sweden, Evian France, HBO USA, Heineken Ireland, Hyundai Korea, Intercontinental Hotels Global, ITC India, Kirin Japan, Kraft USA, Landrover UK, LG Korea, Meunil China, McDonalds Australia, MUFG Japan, Nikon Hong Kong, Nokia China, Orange Moblie Slovakia, Philips Netherlands, Proctor & Gamble USA, Chery Riich China, Rimowa Germany, Samsung Korea, Sinoland Hong Kong, Skipper Italy, Smirnoff USA, Sony United Arab Emirates, Stella Russia, Telefonica Spain, Vidal Sassoon China, Virgin Media UK, and much more.
If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer in Ethiopia, please contact us.
We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.
